Mechanism for Multiple Coexisting Configurations Support in Virtual Tape Applications

1. A method for supporting coexisting user specific configurations, comprising: receiving a request comprising a user ID and a new user specific configuration associated with a mainframe user; determining that an implementation of the new user specific configuration is feasible; and based on the determining: generating a first library batch request (LBR) based on at least a portion of the new user specific configuration; processing the first LBR to create a first set of virtual tape libraries; generating a first drive batch request (DBR) based on at least another portion of the new user specific configuration; and processing the first DBR to create a first set of virtual tape drives.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the implementation of the new user specific configuration is feasible, comprises: obtaining, from a user control table (UCT), an existing user specific configuration using the user ID; issuing, to a tape drives manager (TDM), a first assessment request comprising a first tape drives portion from the existing user specific configuration and a second tape drives portion from the new user specific configuration; receiving, from the TDM, a first positive assessment based on processing the first assessment request; issuing, to a tape libraries manager (TLM), a second assessment request comprising a first tape libraries portion from the existing user specific configuration and a second tape libraries portion from the new user specific configuration; receiving, from the TDM, a second positive assessment based on processing the second assessment request; and determining, based on the first positive assessment and the second positive assessment, that the implementation of the new user specific configuration is feasible.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first LBR comprises a set of tape library addition requests, wherein each tape library addition request of the set of tape library addition requests comprises a different new library management information (LMI) to configure one virtual tape library of the first set of virtual tape libraries.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the first LBR to create the first set of virtual tape libraries, comprises: pausing a library scanning process monitoring for new mount points associated with creating virtual tape libraries; after the pausing: creating each new virtual tape library of the first set of virtual tape libraries using a different new library management information (LMI) of a set of new LMI included in the first LBR; updating a library control table (LCT) to include a set of mappings, wherein each mapping of the set of mappings relates a new tape library ID associated with one new virtual tape library of the first set of virtual tape libraries to a new tape library agent (TLA) ID to be associated with one new TLA of a set of new TLAs; and creating, after the updating, the set of new TLAs, wherein each new TLA of the set of new TLAs is configured, based on at least a portion of one different new LMI, to manage one new virtual tape library of the first set of virtual tape libraries; and after creating the set of new TLAs, resuming the library scanning process.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first DBR comprises a set of tape drive addition requests, wherein each tape drive addition request of the set of tape drive addition requests comprises a different new tape drive configuration (TDC) to configure one virtual tape drive of the first set of virtual tape drives.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the first DBR to create the first set of virtual tape drives, comprises: updating a drive control table (DCT) to include a set of mappings, wherein each mapping of the set of mappings relates a new tape drive ID associated with one new virtual tape drive of the first set of virtual tape drives to a new tape drive agent (TDA) ID to be associated with one new TDA of a set of new TDAs; creating, after the updating, each new virtual tape drive of the first set of virtual tape drives using a different new tape drive configuration (TDC) of a set of new TDCs included in the first DBR; creating the set of new TDAs, wherein each new TDA of the set of new TDAs is configured, based on at least a portion of one different new TDC, to manage one new virtual tape drive of the first set of virtual tape drives; and establishing a set of connections operatively connecting the first set of virtual tape drives to a mainframe operated by at least the mainframe user.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: prior to generating the first LBR: obtaining, from a user control table (UCT), a set of existing tape drive IDs using the user ID; generating a second DBR using the set of existing tape drive IDs; processing the second DBR to remove a second set of virtual tape drives; obtaining, from the UCT, a set of existing tape library IDs using the user ID; generating a second LBR using the set of existing tape library IDs; and processing the second LBR to remove a second set of virtual tape libraries.

8. A system, comprising: a requesting entity; and a virtual tape solution (VTS) operatively connected to the requesting entity, and programmed to: receive, from the requesting entity, a request comprising a user ID and a new user specific configuration associated with a mainframe user; determine that an implementation of the new user specific configuration is feasible; and based on the determining: generate a first library batch request (LBR) based on at least a portion of the new user specific configuration; process the first LBR to create a first set of virtual tape libraries; generate a first drive batch request (DBR) based on at least another portion of the new user specific configuration; and process the first DBR to create a first set of virtual tape drives.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the VTS comprises a plurality of virtual tape engines (VTEs), wherein the first set of virtual tape libraries and the first set of virtual tape drives are created on one VTE of the plurality of VTEs.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein each VTE of the plurality of VTEs is a server.

11. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a tape drives manager (TDM) and a tape libraries manager (TLM) both executing on the one VTE of the plurality of VTEs, wherein the TDM processes the request based on a tape drives portion of the new user specific configuration, wherein the TLM processes the request based on a tape libraries portion of the new user specific configuration.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein creating the first set of virtual tape libraries and creating the first set of virtual tape drives comprises not restarting the plurality of VTEs.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the VTS is further programmed to: prior to generating the first LBR: obtain, from a user control table (UCT), a set of existing tape drive IDs using the user ID; generate a second DBR using the set of existing tape drive IDs; process the second DBR to remove a second set of virtual tape drives; obtain, from the UCT, a set of existing tape library IDs using the user ID; generate a second LBR using the set of existing tape library IDs; and process the second LBR to remove a second set of virtual tape libraries.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor, enables the computer processor to: receive a request comprising a user ID and a new user specific configuration associated with a mainframe user; determine that an implementation of the new user specific configuration is feasible; and based on the determining: generate a first library batch request (LBR) based on at least a portion of the new user specific configuration; process the first LBR to create a first set of virtual tape libraries; generate a first drive batch request (DBR) based on at least another portion of the new user specific configuration; and process the first DBR to create a first set of virtual tape drives.

15. The non-transitory CRM of claim 14 , wherein to determine that the implementation of the new user specific configuration is feasible, the computer readable program code, when executed by the computer processor, enables the computer processor to: obtain, from a user control table (UCT), an existing user specific configuration using the user ID; issue, to a tape drives manager (TDM), a first assessment request comprising a first tape drives portion from the existing user specific configuration and a second tape drives portion from the new user specific configuration; receive, from the TDM, a first positive assessment based on processing the first assessment request; issue, to a tape libraries manager (TLM), a second assessment request comprising a first tape libraries portion from the existing user specific configuration and a second tape libraries portion from the new user specific configuration; receive, from the TDM, a second positive assessment based on processing the second assessment request; and determine, based on the first positive assessment and the second positive assessment, that the implementation of the new user specific configuration is feasible.

16. The non-transitory CRM of claim 14 , wherein the first LBR comprises a set of tape library addition requests, wherein each tape library addition request of the set of tape library addition requests comprises a different new library management information (LMI) to configure one virtual tape library of the first set of virtual tape libraries.

17. The non-transitory CRM of claim 14 , wherein to process the first LBR to create the first set of virtual tape libraries, the computer readable program code, when executed by the computer processor, enables the computer processor to: pause a library scanning process monitoring for new mount points associated with creating virtual tape libraries; after the pausing: create each new virtual tape library of the first set of virtual tape libraries using a different new library management information (LMI) of a set of new LMI included in the first LBR; update a library control table (LCT) to include a set of mappings, wherein each mapping of the set of mappings relates a new tape library ID associated with one new virtual tape library of the first set of virtual tape libraries to a new tape library agent (TLA) ID to be associated with one new TLA of a set of new TLAs; and create, after the updating, the set of new TLAs, wherein each new TLA of the set of new TLAs is configured, based on at least a portion of one different new LMI, to manage one new virtual tape library of the first set of virtual tape libraries; and after creating the set of new TLAs, resume the library scanning process.

18. The non-transitory CRM of claim 14 , wherein the first DBR comprises a set of tape drive addition requests, wherein each tape drive addition request of the set of tape drive addition requests comprises a different new tape drive configuration (TDC) to configure one virtual tape drive of the first set of virtual tape drives.

19. The non-transitory CRM of claim 14 , wherein to process the first DBR to create the first set of virtual tape drives, the computer readable program code, when executed by the computer processor, enables the computer processor to: update a drive control table (DCT) to include a set of mappings, wherein each mapping of the set of mappings relates a new tape drive ID associated with one new virtual tape drive of the first set of virtual tape drives to a new tape drive agent (TDA) ID to be associated with one new TDA of a set of new TDAs; create, after the updating, each new virtual tape drive of the first set of virtual tape drives using a different new tape drive configuration (TDC) of a set of new TDCs included in the first DBR; create the set of new TDAs, wherein each new TDA of the set of new TDAs is configured, based on at least a portion of one different new TDC, to manage one new virtual tape drive of the first set of virtual tape drives; and establish a set of connections operatively connecting the first set of virtual tape drives to a mainframe operated by at least the mainframe user.

20. The non-transitory CRM of claim 14 , further comprising additional computer readable program code, which when executed by the computer, enables the computer processor to: prior to generating the first LBR: obtain, from a user control table (UCT), a set of existing tape drive IDs using the user ID; generate a second DBR using the set of existing tape drive IDs; process the second DBR to remove a second set of virtual tape drives; obtain, from the UCT, a set of existing tape library IDs using the user ID; generate a second LBR using the set of existing tape library IDs; and process the second LBR to remove a second set of virtual tape libraries.